Then A Breath, A Pause
by poeticgrace
Summary: Rachel Berry had no idea what New York held for her, but she knew that it at least had a coveted position in the corps of the New York City Ballet...and the attention of its star male dancer. Puckleberry.
1. Assemblé

**_Assemblé_**  
_Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air._

Rachel Berry had no idea what New York held for her, but she knew that it at least had a coveted position in the corps of the New York City Ballet. She knew that it had a crowded company apartment she was going to share with three other girls and an appointment Monday morning for a costume fitting. They were starting "The Nutcracker" in just a few weeks, and the seventeen-year-old Ohioan would be one of nine ballerinas dancing in the background during the powerful solo featuring the Nutcracker Prince. She wouldn't be the star of the piece, but she didn't mind because she knew that good things were to come. It was already infinitely better than doing another season as Clara in the paltry version afforded by the JCC's minuscule budget.

She saw Noah Puckerman for the first time on Monday morning when they filed into the large studio for company class. Dress rehearsals were that afternoon, and their little group of nine was scheduled to dance his backup just after two o'clock. The twenty-four-year-old male principal was strong and bronzed, just like the image in the posters that littered the nearby streets for blocks. He stood off to the side talking to a tall Asian man that Rachel knew to be Michael Chang, one of the company's top choreographers, and Blaine Anderson, a shorter brunette that was typically cast as his understudy.

The three men seemed to be talking about the fresh group of dancers that had just arrived in New York for the winter season. She watched Blaine point across the room to a porcelain-skinned boy Rachel had met during her own audition. Kurt Hummel was from Ohio just like her and had already caught the eye of a few of the top decision makers at NYCB. Mike nodded toward Brittany Pierce, a statuesque blonde from Southern California who had been the only freshman dancer to land a solo piece. Puck, as he was known, seemed less than interested in the conversation. He was only staring at Rachel.

She blushed beneath his steady gaze, briefly daring to bring her eyes from where she was checking her extension to meet his in the mirror behind the barre. His eyes darkened visibly when she bit down on her bottom lip. Rachel was just about to return the smile when she felt the energy in the room change. Puck winked at her before he dragged his own stare to the front of the studio.

"Hello, my name is William Schuester," a curly-haired man announced as he took his place at the front of the room next to the piano. There was a nondescript man with glasses seated behind the keys. "This is our accompanist, Brad, and most of you should know our choreographer, Michael Chang, by now. Before we get started, I should remind you that if you have not yet seen our costumer, Mercedes Jones will be waiting in the room just down the hall so her team can get your measurements."

"I know that this is the first performance many of you, so let me warn you now. We will be working many long hours over the coming weeks before we go into previews. I expect every move to be flawless, and my team will be watching you with the most critical of eyes to ensure that we have exactly the kind of performance our company is known for," he told them. "And now, let me introduce the two key principals in this production of 'The Nutcracker.' Dancing the lead role of Clara is Quinn Fabray, and she will be accompanied by Noah Puckerman as the Nutcracker Prince."

The petite blonde bowed gracefully. She had a reputation for being a total ice queen. Puck seemed to balance that out next to her, full of fire and oh, so, hot. Rachel felt herself shiver a little when he caught her eye. "He seems to have taken an interest in you," a pretty Asian girl said from beside her. "You should be honored. He finds one every season, and they always end up climbing the ranks of the company. How do you think Quinn first got noticed? I'm Tina, by the way. I think we're dancing together this afternoon."

Rachel returned Tina's smile nervously. "I seriously doubt Noah Puckerman is interested in me," she replied softly as not to draw any attention. "Besides, isn't he still with Quinn?"

Tina shook her head as she lined up behind Rachel at the barre. "Haven't you heard? I figured the gossip had spread by now," she whispered. "Some big thing happened over the Thanksgiving break. They're saying that Puck can barely stand to be in the same room as her, not that anyone ever really could. Word has it that he's back on the prowl and Quinn is anything but pleased."

Several hours later, Rachel had made friends with not only Tina but also Brittany and a New York native named Kitty. The four of them were all slotted to dance in the group number with Puck. He was already on stage warming up when they filed in with the other girls. He looked powerful as he jumped up and down, the sound of his feet against the wooden stage surprisingly light. Mike stood nearby watching him, commenting every so often with a correction or a word of praise.

"Alright, ladies, we're going to need you all to just line up and go through the number a few times," Mike instructed them after Puck had cleared off and joined him in the front row of velvet seats. "Once we see what we're working with, I will arrange you in your final places. Brad will play you in."

Rachel closed her eyes and allowed the warmth of the house lights to wash over her. This was how she got into her moment. Second laters, the familiar piano tune guided her movements, and she danced on automatic. She didn't look down at Puck for fear of missing a step. She just watched the other girls out of her periphery to make sure she kept proper spacing and pasted her best serene show smile on her face. And when the song drew to an end, she returned to the starting position so she could do it all again.

Mike stopped them after a third run-through. The girls held in their places as Puck and Mike bent their heads to talk. A third person, a curvy Latina she'd heard someone call Santana once, came over to join them with a small video camera in her hand. The final arrangement called for six girls to line the back with one flanking each side more toward the front. The ninth dancer would be center stage with the Nutcracker Prince. It was a new piece of choreography that Mike had just introduced this year. Getting prime placement would really help her get noticed, but with Brittany among her competition, she knew the best she could hope for was one of the side positions.

"That's what I want," she heard Puck demand. "I don't care, Lopez. I'm dancing up there, and I know what's going to work for me."

The woman glared at him, but Mike nodded understandingly as he scribbled some notes down. "Okay, ladies, in the back row from left to right, we will have Harmony, Sugar, Tina, Marley, Danielle and Sunshine. The front left position will go to Kitty, and Brittany, honey, we want you to take the right side. That leaves Rachel down in front to dance with Puck. Everyone got it?"

Rachel tried not to be too nervous as they took their places. Puck stopped to thank each of the girls before he finally came to her. "Why me?" she asked in a soft voice. "I mean, surely Brittany would do a better job."

"Because I chose you," he told her in a low voice. "And my choices are never wrong."

She knew they had chemistry from the very first time they danced together. He lifted her higher than she had ever been, and her movements felt stronger, more confident, than she had danced in such a long time. Whenever she felt lost for even a moment, she could look to him and he'd bring her right back. It felt like they had been partnered for years as they worked through the first run of the pas de deux. Despite the fact that he had done three seasons in the male lead of "The Nutcracker," she couldn't imagine him ever dancing this particular piece with anyone else. It felt like it was made just for them.

"Wow," he exhaled after they were done, bent slightly so that his hands rested on his knees. "That was...you were incredible."

She could tell by the surprise in his voice that it was genuine. "It's not usually like that for me."

"Me either," he admitted. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Mike has a few things he wants to change to up the degree of difficulty. We could start now if you wanted."

"Sure, just let me grab a drink and we'll get back into it," she grinned. Rachel genuinely loved ballet and would spend every waking hour dancing if she could. She jogged off toward her pink bag to take a long pull off her water bottle. Tina and the others were gathering their stuff to go.

"You surprised Puck," she praised her new friend. "No one ever surprises Puck. And he's actually excited to dance. I haven't seen him like that for so long."

"You've known him for awhile then?"

"Yeah, Mike and I used to have a thing when I first came to the company," she explained dismissively. Rachel would have to get that story later. "He's usually so cool about everything, never lets it show that he actually cares. But with you, just now, that was all gone. It's kind of cool to see. We were all starting to worry that he was losing his drive. Puck's our leader, you know? Blaine's great, and there's a guy coming up, Sam Evans, that has potential. But they're nothing like Noah Puckerman."

Rachel looked across the stage to where Puck was waiting for her. He was talking to the tall guy from the front office, Finn Hudson. "You ready, Rach?" Puck called out. She nodded and took one last swill from her bottle before hugging Tina quickly. "Rach, this is Finn Hudson. He's my best friend. He has a guy from publicity that needs to take a few stills so they can send out an update to donors. You don't mind being my co-star, do you?"

"Shouldn't Quinn do that?"

"I chose you, remember?" he grinned. She blushed and nodded.

"Good girl."

_Author's Note: This originated from a one shot I wrote last year as part of my "Turtle Doves and Golden Rings" series._


	2. Relevé

**_Relevé _**  
_Raised. A raising of the body on the points or demi-pointes, point or demi-pointe._

Practices for "Swan Lake" prove to be more difficult than Rachel could have ever imagined. The hours are long, much more strenuous than the generous schedule her life back in Ohio had afforded her. And yet, she never felt herself even on the brink of complaining. She loved every minute of being part of the Company, from the large classes that awaited her every morning to the grueling run-throughs that dominated her afternoons. There were ice baths at night and not enough hours to really allow her to get to know her roommates. Her only solace was that they were just as exhausted as she was after pulling twelve hours straight on stage.

And Noah, oh, Noah. Rachel had never really garnered all that much attention back in Lima. Sure, there had been that fleeting thing between her and Jesse sophomore year, but he had been too wrapped up in himself to ever give their relationship a fair shake. But Noah was completely different. He was the kind of guy who gave all or nothing, and right now, he seemed to be more focused on her than the ballet at hand. She knew that Mr. Schuester wasn't too pleased with the attention he was giving her, and Quinn had made it quite known that she intended to keep her place atop the NYCB hierarchy. However, it seemed the bronzed star dancer couldn't be bothered to care what either of them thought. He was only worried about making Rachel giggle in the back of company class when he should have been at the front leading it.

"Hey, Britt, do you an extra hair elastic," Rachel said one Thursday afternoon when they were warming up for the run through on their part of the ballet. The blonde dancer pulled out of her arabesque and jogged over to her ballet bag. It was hot pink and covered in unicorn patches. To say the girl was special was an understatement; Rachel swore she had heard her talking on Skype to her cat last week. Still, she was generous, and Rachel was appreciative when Brittany handed over a lavender sparkly rubber band. "Thanks, you're always saving me."

"And here I thought that was me," came Noah's familiar baritone voice in her ear. Rachel couldn't help but to visibly shiver a little. The dancer smirked at her before pulling back to stand next to his best friend, Finn. The tall guy was always quiet when Rachel had been around him. He had been part of a group outing or two, but he never really said much. She had noticed, however, that he liked to make eyes at a certain blonde that shared an apartment with her. "Looking good this morning, Rach. Why don't I help you stretch it out?"

"I think Miss Berry is perfectly capable of preparing herself to dance," Will said suddenly as he came down the middle aisle of the auditorium, a perturbed-looking Santana on his heels. "Finn, don't you have a job to do upstairs? Get off my stage."

Finn just shrugged and exited out of the room as quickly as he possible. Rachel groaned inwardly at the director's foul mood. She could already see the manicure appointment she had at seven going to waste. "And Tina, while I am sure you are just expressing your concerns about the choreography, I think the conversation would work better if you would quit giggling incessantly and batting your eyelashes at Mike. Are you warm yet? You're supposed to be warmed by now."

"Will, c'mon," Mike said softly, reaching over to rest his hand on his co-worker's shoulder. He was one of the few people, along with Noah and Quinn, that were allowed to be frank with the director. "I know you're stressed out, but they won't dance well with all this anxious energy."

He was about to say something smart in reply when he caught Puck's eye. He nodded slightly before pulling his ankle up neatly behind him. Will had no real choice but to relax. He knew that Noah wouldn't dance well just to spite him, and with donors coming to watch a dress rehearsal later that week, he really needed the piece to be perfect.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Will said dismissively. He noticed as Rachel and Tina both visibly relaxed. "You guys have five minutes to get warmed up and then we're going to go through the pas de deux. I really want to get that boat lift down in the second phrasing."

The notoriously difficult lift was one of the few trouble spots between Noah and Rachel. It was one of the hardest partner moves in all of ballet, in fact, and it was the first time Noah was even doing it at all. His signature lift with Quinn had always been slightly simpler, so Will and Mike had been contentious about upping the difficulty and making it notably different.

"Santana is going to run the corps through the first 32 in the back of the stage while Noah and Rachel work center stage," Will called out as he made notations on his ever-present clipboard. He turned to the stage manager who took care of the back of house. "Hey, Artie, can you get the lights crew worked out on this? I was dim in the back and bright on those two."

"Got it," the bespectacled young man said with a nod. He wheeled up the aisle with his left hand, his right hand already reaching for the two-way radio that all of the crew used.

Rachel pulled off her leg warmers and rolled her shoulders a little as she headed down to the front of the stage. Her legs were already shaking a little in nervous anticipation of practicing the move. They had only done it a few times, mostly with wires or in the foam pit, before now. Puck stopped her short, letting his hand rest low on her hips. "Hey, we got this," he promised her in a soft voice. "You just have to trust me. You trust me, right?"

Her dark eyes locked with his hazel ones. She had known him for all of two weeks, ones where there trust had been built solely in the studio and not outside the confines of the theater, but she knew that she trusted him implicitly. "I trust you," she allowed finally, reaching out to squeeze the hand that wasn't on her hip.

"Good," he smiled, reaching out to press a chaste kiss to the top of her head. She reached up instinctively to smooth down her tightly braided bun. He laughed a little then and shook his head. "Don't worry about it, baby, you look perfect."

The happiness high from his tiny little compliment was enough to get Rachel going. She smiled her best show smile as they worked through the first part in perfect harmony. Puck was sure and strong as he lifted her in a simple fish dive and then did a pair of slow pique turns before putting her back to the ground. Her entire body skimmed across his as he caught her hand at the last minute. She pulled her ankle up to her ear and spun out with a perfect leg grab turn. Noah danced away with a few pretty, flourished steps before he turned back at her, his hand pressed to his heart. That was her cue.

Rachel kept her eyes locked with Noah's as she rushed toward him, leaping toward his arms at the last moment. Her jump was high enough that it would appear that she was almost going to go over his head, but he was there to steady her perfectly. He grabbed her hips and lifted her high into the air effortlessly. She was only horizontal for a moment before he was bringing her down slowly, her body gradually transitioning so that she was parallel to him again. Careful to keep the arch of her back strong but graceful, Rachel's entire face lit up when she was back on her feet and leaping out for the final set of fouettes that concluded the piece.

Rachel was in his arms as soon as the music had stopped. "You were perfect, baby!" Noah cried as he lifted her by the waist and turned her around in circles. Even Santana stopped to applaud the successful maneuver. Rachel probably would have enjoyed the attention more if she hadn't been so completely wrapped up in one Noah Puckerman. He let her back to her feet eventually but kept her near. "So good, Rach, we're so good."

"Yes, that did look quite good, you two," Will agreed as he scratched something down on his clipboard again. "Good enough, in fact, that I want Rachel to start understudying Quinn next week. The chemistry between you two is fantastic, and I don't want to have to worry about finding a suitable replacement should anything happen with Quinn."

Rachel felt all the air rush out of her lungs at the announcement. Things like that were unheard of at NYCB. There were soloists with years of experience and seniority ahead of her, and they were the ones who typically played second fiddle to Quinn. She was slightly worried that all this attention could cause some issues for her, especially with the aforementioned blonde prima ballerina. But when Noah grabbed her hand and pulled her against him in a hug, she kind of forgot all about that and enjoyed the moment.

Hours later, Rachel was enjoying her solo cool down in an empty studio. She had stayed an extra few hours to work on the more artistic footwork that she didn't really have time to focus on when she was dancing with Noah. It was the slight bend of her fingers or line of her legs that would make all the difference. She was just pulling off her sheer pink skirt and pulling on a pair of yoga pants when Noah came up behind her. Her eyes met his in the mirror as she leaned into a deep side bend. She held it for longer than necessary so that she could watch Noah come closer to her. He waited until she was standing up right again to bracket his hands around her hips. Rachel turned in his arms as he took a small breath and slid his mouth over hers.

"I've been wanting to do that for two weeks," Noah announced when he pulled away.

"You have?"

"From the first time I saw you dance, I just knew that I had to kiss you," he said, and she felt like it was a line he had probably used before. Then again, it seemed to be working because she was already moving in for a second kiss. This one carried her backward until she was pressed against the glass mirror, the barre digging into her lower back. She didn't seem to care as she entwined her arms around his neck. Rachel was just about to let herself get completely swept away in the moment when she heard someone clear her throat from the far doorway.

Quinn stood there stoically, arms folded across her chest. Puck groaned under his breath before stepping back. "If you're done with your silly little game, Will is waiting downstairs in the limo for us. We're already late to dinner."

Noah smiled at Rachel apologetically. "See you tomorrow," he said softly, squeezing her hand one final time, before following after Quinn. "Who is this time?" she heard him ask as they disappeared down the hall. Rachel gathered her things and waited a minute to give them time to exit without her right behind them. However, she found them waiting for the elevator and thought it was a good idea to hang back to give them their privacy.

"Really, Noah, she's what? Eighteen? You always go fishing around the young ones until you get bored," she teased him. It was the warmest Rachel had ever seen Quinn, and she was surprised at how easy it was between the two of them. "I predict that this little infatuation won't even make it until Opening Night, and then you'll be right back in Aspen with me come Christmas."

"Oh, Q," he grinned before throwing his arm around her shoulder. "A little intimidated, are we?"

"Hardly," the blonde laughed confidently. "We both know how this ends. The question is, does she?"

Noah turned his gaze on her sharply. "Leave her alone, Quinn."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you, Noah?"

"Rachel is different."

"They all are, Noah," she sighed as the elevator doors opened. "They all are."


	3. Brisé

**_Brisé_**  
_Broken, breaking. A small beating step in which the movement is broken._

"That's it, Rachel, hold the arch," Will instructed, his pencil tapping against his clipboard in time to the classical music blaring through the large overhead speakers. It was two days after Rachel had overheard the conversation between Noah and Quinn and nearly as long since she had said more than two consecutive words in rehearsal. "Beautiful, Rachel, very nice."

Rachel held her frame as she arched her back and then moved slowly en pointe backward, her toes just barely painting the floor. She reached Noah and took his extended hand, allowing one to rise over her head while the other held steady in front of her. He spun her slowly into a pirouette and then followed her down into the finished position. Rachel looked expectantly out at Will, who usually had several notes for her by then. Instead, he simply clapped and nodded proudly.

"Alright, guys, I think we can call it a night. An hour early even," he smiled. Rachel would have been more excited if it weren't already six o'clock on a Saturday night. "Make sure to be in by noon tomorrow for the run through with the full company. We're going to see the full ballet from start to finish, so I suggest that you all get some rest. And Puckerman, I particularly mean you as you and Quinn will be working extensively."

"Got it, boss," he mumbled before leaning down to take off his black shoes.

Rachel waited until a few of her fellow dancers had filed off the stage before she headed for her bag in the wings. Tina was there, taking long gulps of water and flipping through the messages on her phone. "Hey, a bunch of us are going to go for sushi and then over to Koreatown for karaoke. Finn finally asked Britt to hang out, and it turned into this big group thing. You wanna come with?"

Looking from her own phone, Rachel smiled apologetically. "Can't, I have Temple," she apologized. She knew that she could probably make plans to meet up with them later, but she was actually looking forward to having the apartment to herself. "Raincheck, though, okay? I haven't sang since I got here."

"Sure thing," Tina grinned. She slung her black bag over her shoulder and reached down to pat the top of Rachel's head affectionately. "It'll probably be pretty late before we get back, so I'll make sure the other girls are as quiet as possible. And do a girl a favor and make sure I don't oversleep tomorrow, okay?"

"Promise," Rachel giggled as she waved over to where Brittany was leaving with Finn. "Have fun!"

The auditorium slowly became quieter and quieter until she was the only one left. Rachel pulled on a decent pair of jeans over her leotard and scrounged around in her bag until she found a sweater. She pulled her hair out of its bun and shook it out a little before she tucked it beneath a warm knit hat. Finally, she found the white gold Star of David necklace her fathers had given her when she turned thirteen.

"You going to meet the others?" Noah asked her as she hurried past where he was sitting in the lobby. She thought about ignoring him but knew it would be rude. Instead, she just shook her head. "Got other big plans?"

"I'm actually headed to Temple," she replied. She glanced at the time on her phone. "And I apologize, but if I don't catch a cab soon, I am going to be late."

"You're Jewish?" he asked as he followed her out into the cold November air.

"Uh, yeah," she laughed, pointing to her nose. "It's usually pretty obvious."

"I"m from New York, Rach, I don't assume anything," he chuckled. "That's cool, I'm Jewish too. What synagogue do you attend?"

"Fifth Avenue," Rachel replied as she hailed a cab. A yellow taxi pulled to the curb rather quickly, and just as she was about to say her goodbyes to Noah, she found herself sitting next to him in the backseat.

"No shit, that's my synagogue too," he said. "You don't mind if I ride over with you, do you? I haven''t been in ages. My ma will probably be tickled as hell to see me show up with a beautiful Jewess like you. She's always after me to find a nice Jewish girl. Probably why she never liked Quinn..."

Rachel looked down at her hands at the mention of the blonde girl. "Yes, well..."

"Rach, what's wrong? I know you've been avoiding me since the other night."

Rachel at sixteen would have lied about everything being fine, but Rachel at eighteen didn't have time to play games. "I heard what Quinn said to you the other night. I thought before then that maybe you had liked me. I mean, we had been spending time together and everything. I didn't realize that the two of you were back together - still together - whatever, you know, I didn't know that you were together."

Noah laughed loudly, startling her a little. "Oh, Rachel, Quinn and I haven't been anything real for years," he said dismissively. "She's my partner and that's it. She always get a little territorial if she thinks someone is going to infiltrate on her position with the company, but that's where her interest in me ends. And even if she was interested in me, the feeling wouldn't be mutual. Babe, I am totally into you."

It sounded all wrong but the intention was right. And that was why Rachel allowed Noah to help her out of the cab when they got to the temple and to hold her hand throughout the service. She even met his mother and his younger sister. Noah had introduced her by name and as the "girl I'm seeing," and they both seemed familiar enough with her for Rachel to know he had talked about her to them. That earned a kiss outside her apartment door a bit later when Noah and the cab dropped her off.

She was still on cloud nine when she got to the studio several hours later. Tina had on her dark glasses and an extra large of coffee in hand. Brittany was bubbling on and on about how awesome and funny Finn was, and Rachel finally told the two of them that Noah had kissed her the night before.

"So is he, like, your boyfriend?" Tina asked excitedly as they changed into their dance gear.

"I don't know, T," Rachel giggled, working quickly to lace up her pointe shoes. "What are we, teenagers?"

"Well, yeah, actually," Brittany giggled. "We're only eighteen, Rachel. I think we're allowed to gossip about boys, even if we are supposed to be all professional and adult. I mean, Finn does this thing with his tongue when we..."

Quinn came through the large open space then. Her eyes met Rachel's just before she disappeared into her private dressing room. Two minutes later, Noah hurried past her without a word and went through the same door. A loud slam followed just seconds after that.

"Yikes," Tina drawled. Rachel's eyes were still fixed on the door. "I wonder what's up there."

"She's not happy that I'm her understudy," Rachel said softly. "Noah said she gets territorial about him too. She probably hates you."

"Oh, yeah, honey, Quinn Fabray definitely hates you," Mercedes Jones announced as she came over to the trio of girls sprawled on the wooden floor. Rachel looked up at her with wide chocolate eyes. "You should have seen what happened to the last girl. Poor darling had a total nervous breakdown. Rather sad too, she was quite talented." The woman tapped her chin bemusedly before looking back down at Rachel again. "Anyway, I need you to come by the costume room before you leave. We need to get you measured for copies of all Quinn's costumes. Will wants it done today."

It was standard operating procedure for understudies, but it sort of explained Quinn's bad mood. The picture became a little clearer a minute later when Finn appeared. "Hey, Tina. Hey, Rachel," he said happily before bending down to kiss Brittany's cheek. "Hey, good lookin'."

"What do you have there?" Tina asked nosily.

"Publicity posters," he said as he pulled one from the cardboard tube. Santana and I just got them back from the printer. Artie's crew is going to start hanging them up this afternoon, but we got a couple in glass down in the lobby," he explained. Rachel's jaw dropped a minute later when she saw her smiling face and Noah's steadfast gaze a moment later. "They turned out really great. Will loves them."

"Quinn is going to kill you," Brittany said lowly.

Tina and Rachel nodded in unison. Neither of them had a chance to reply because soon the guys were filing into the room. Rachel waved over at Kurt, who was laughing at something that Blaine and Sam were saying. "Okay, I need everyone in position for the First Act," Mike announced. "Rachel, Will wants you to take the first run through."

"Um, what about Quinn?"

"Will's instructions, Rach," he said with a shrug. "Yo, Puckerman, you and Rachel are up first."

Noah was just coming out of Quinn's dressing room, a worn look on his face. "Okay, give us a sec," he said quickly. He ditched his bag on the bench next to Rachel's and slipped out of his shoes. And then he reached for Rachel and pulled her into a quick kiss.

"Everything okay?"

"Quinn's being Quinn," he grumbled. "Whatever, I don't even care. Let's just go out there and kick some ass. My nerves are shot. I need to dance it out."

It was the first time she had ever heard someone explain it the way she would, so for the next thirty minutes, she gave it everything she had in the vain attempt to help Noah. Will was full of praise for the two of them. Each hold was stronger than it had ever been, the turns perfectly in time and the jumps clean. She hadn't danced like this in a long time. Every move had been perfect, and Noah had been right there in sync with her.

"Rachel, if you keep dancing like that, we just might see you up there come opening night."

"Excuse me?"

Will smiled at her and threw his head back with a little laugh. "Santana and I have been talking. The chemistry between the two of you is unlike anything I've ever seen before," he complimented them. "The intensity, the way you move in perfect harmony, it's captivating. I want you to be prepared to fight for this lead. It's not out of the realm of possibility for you to dance Clara this season."

"Excuse me?" This time it was Quinn's shrill voice who sounded astounded. "Clara is my role, and I'll be damned if I will let that silly little girl take my spot. William, need I remind you that my title says principal. Hers merely says artist. She is part of the corps, and just because Noah took a shining to her does not mean I am willing to compromise my position at the company to keep him happy. You might be up for kissing his ass to keep him here, but I won't do it."

Puck started to say something, but Rachel caught his wrist to stop him. "Quinn, my dear, this is neither time nor place for such a discussion," Will told her patiently. "You are a principal, our prima ballerina, and you have always been the consummate professional. I expect you to be a leader, and as such, you should know the appropriate way to discuss this would be to do it privately in my office after rehearsal."

"Are you really admonishing me, William?"

"Quinn..."

"I am ready to rehearse," she declared dismissively. She looked over at Rachel with a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Clear the stage."

Ballet etiquette and hierarchy dictated that Rachel followed direction. As much as part of her wanted to stand there and fight, she knew that wouldn't' get her anywhere in the long run. She couldn't appear to be difficult to work with or she would get a reputation. Instead, she would simply have to let her dancing speak for itself. Still, it didn't stop her from getting her last little dig in.

"I'll see you after rehearsal, Noah," she murmured before standing en pointe to kiss his cheek. She looked straight at Quinn when she kissed him again, this time on his lips.

_Game on, Quinn_, she thought as she met back up with Tina and Brittany. _Game on._


	4. Chassé

**_Chassé_**  
_Chased. A step in which one foot literally chases the other foot out of its position; done in a series._

"I heard that William is thinking about promoting Rachel at the end of the year," Quinn heard one of the chorus girls, the Asian one who had dated Mike at some point, tell another of the nameless faces one morning after company class.

The other girl, the tall blonde that was sleeping with Finn, giggled mindlessly. "First she took Noah Puckerman and now she's getting promoted. It won't be long before she replaces Quinn completely."

The two girls shared a knowing laugh before they filed into the locker room without noticing Quinn. The petite blonde balled her hands into tight fists and then loosened them, a serene smile falling over her face. She hadn't gotten where she was by acting impulsively. Girls far more talented and far more beautiful than Rachel Berry had tried to unseat her at the New York City Ballet, and yet, Quinn was still the reigning queen. Along with Noah, she had helped build the Schuester dynasty with the company. There was no replacing her.

Santana Lopez had been the first girl to ever challenge Quinn, and the result of that was the stuff of company legend. Noah had looked at the talented Latina on her first day of rehearsals, and Quinn had spent the next six months carefully plotting her destruction. It was then that she had decided to really start up with Noah in the first place. If she controlled him, she controlled the company. Santana had retired after only a few years with the company and had taken on the offered creative work. Quinn knew that was all her doing.

"Noah, darling, could I please speak with you a moment?" she asked as she came into the auditorium. Her partner was standing next to Rachel, the two of them swept up in only each other. It took everything she had not to make some snarky comment. Instead, she forced a sweet smile in Rachel's direction and then headed toward the chalk box to prep her toe shoes. "I was wondering what you were doing tonight..."

"We're having dinner with some of the company after rehearsal," Rachel announced as she appeared over Noah's shoulder. The taller man smiled back at her briefly before nodding in Quinn's direction. "You're welcome to join everyone if you would like. I know that you don't really like to hang out with us underlings, but we'd be happy to have you."

"Yeah, Q, come kick it with the minions for a night."

"I can't," she said softly. She mustered up all the melancholy she had in her tiny frame and conveyed it into her eyes. "My father is in town."

Puck was quiet for a moment as he reached out for her hand. "Quinn," he replied quietly. "Why didn't you tell me before now?" He knew what a visit from her dad meant. He had seen the ramifications firsthand. "You can't see him, Q. Please, you have to cancel. You're in a really good place right now. You can't afford to take a step backward."

"You're just saying that because you're worried about the ballet," she muttered. She knew that it was manipulative, but it was still sort of true. "Don't worry, Noah, I'm sure that my understudy here will be more than happy to step in should anything happen to occur."

"Hey, none of that," he demanded harshly. He kept a firm grip on one of her hands before reaching up to come her cheek. He forced her eyes to meet his. "You're not going to see him alone, Q. Okay? Promise me."

"Noah, I am perfectly capable..."

"No, you're not, Quinn, and we both know it. I will go with you, okay?"

Rachel cleared her throat. "Um, Noah, we have plans."

He didn't let go of Quinn's hand as he turned to look at Rachel. "I'll have to raincheck, okay?"

Rachel shifted uncomfortably in place. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," he retorted. He looked back at Quinn. "Don't go anywhere. We're not done talking about this yet."

Noah knew that he was on dangerous ground here with Rachel, but he had been down the rabbit hole more than once with Quinn. He knew the type of damage and destruction her father was capable of, and he wasn't about to risk his partner and one of his closest friends for anything.

"You can't just blow us off like that," Rachel said once they were alone. "It's rude, and honestly, I think you should choose your girlfriend over your ex-girlfriend."

"First of all, Quinn is one of my oldest and best friends. We have been through a lot together, and she is a huge part of my life," he told her honestly. "You need to accept that right now or this thing is not going to work. I'm not going to turn my back on Quinn just because you don't like her."

"I don't like her?" Rachel asked incredulously. "Quinn is the one who doesn't like me."

"Rachel," he warned lowly. "What has Quinn done to you?" Her silence was deafening. Rachel couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but she knew that Quinn was calculating her slow demise. "Look, I really want to hang out with everyone, but Quinn's dad is serious. You have no idea what he's like, what he has put her through. I have to go with her, Rach. She can't go alone."

Rachel forced herself to take a deep breath. "Okay, I trust you," she relented. "But I'll miss you. Maybe you could come by when you're done, have a night cap or something."

He reached over and twisted a strand of her dark hair around his finger. "I think I could manage that," he grinned. "Seriously, Rachel, I hope you will give Quinn a chance. I know she comes off cold, but it'd be really great if my girl could get along with my partner."

"Your girl, huh?"

"Yup," he chuckled, leaning over to kiss the tip of her nose.

Rachel watched as he turned on his heel and returned to Quinn's side. The two of them spoke in voices so quiet that she couldn't hear them. Noah said something that made Quinn soften a little, and Rachel had to admire how easy it was between the two of them. It was as comfortable between her and Noah too, but there was a sense of history with Quinn that they didn't have yet. It showed in their dancing, the way he instinctively could follow her when she would fall out of step or she could move into his arms when he was too rushed.

"Alright, everyone in their places," William said, clapping as he came down the main aisle. "I want to do a run through of the first number with Quinn and Noah. Then, we will do the same number with Blaine and Rachel." He stepped to the edge of the stage and beckoned to his two stars. They bent over in quiet conversation for a moment. Quinn said something that caused Noah to rest his hand low on the small of her back. Rachel tried to chase away the jealous thoughts crawling around in her head. "Okay, upon Noah and Quinn's request, Blaine and Rachel are going to dance first."

"Ready, partner?" Blaine asked as he rested his hand on her elbow. She tried to smile bravely, but she had never danced this particular piece without Noah. She looked to her boyfriend for a boost of confidence, but he was whispering in Quinn's ear. It was enough to put a little fire under Rachel's feet.

"Let's kill it," she declared, stretching her arms a little before she sauntered to take her place at center stage.

Seven minutes later, Blaine lowered her back to her feet with a satisfied chuckle. It had been perfect, probably the best run through of any number they'd had together. That was why it was so shocking when Will looked up from his clipboard and shook his head. "That just didn't work, did it? Something was off," he mused, glancing between his notes and the dancers. "I want the two of you to watch Quinn and Noah, and then we'll run you through it again. Pay attention to their connection, the responsive way they really connect."

Quinn and Noah were halfway through the piece when the blonde ballerina stopped. "Hey, I have an idea," she announced excitedly, looking out at William. "What if we change that to a pirouette à la seconde?" She showed Noah what she meant, earning a thoughtful nod as he mimicked her choreography. Will clapped and started taking notes furiously, Mike bent over the clipboard with him.

"And then you could stay in second and shift into a double pirouette," Noah said excitedly. He was already working it through in his head. "Chang, what do you think?"

"Let me see what you two are thinking," he instructed.

Rachel watched as the two of them wordlessly started. They improved the choreography without saying a word, relying on their connection to guide them to where they needed to be. Noah seemed to know that Quinn was going to transition out of the pirouette into a series of fouettes. The two of them completely changed the ending, trading out the simpler shoulder sit for a cambre press.

"Gorgeous, just gorgeous," William praised the duo. "Michael?"

"Great, guys, that's how we will rehearse it from now on," Mike agreed. "Blaine, Rachel, I expect you to get those changes by next time, okay? Have Q and Noah run you through it if you have any problems."

"Q, do you think you could show me that again?" Rachel asked in a small voice.

"It's Quinn," she corrected her primly, careful to keep her smile in place. "Only Noah and Mike call me Q, and we've known each other a long time." She crinkled her eyes just a little to appear that much more friendly, all the while intensifying her gaze on Rachel. "But I would love to show you how it's done."

Rachel shivered involuntarily at the subtle threat. "Thank you, I have so much to learn from all your many years of experience with the company," she bit out. Only another woman would get all the subtext of that false compliment. "I feel, as the future of the company, I really want to soak everything you can offer while I still can."

"You certainly have a future in ballet, Rachel, I'm just not sure that it's here," Quinn said with all the fake warmth she could feign.

Rachel allowed her eyes to find Noah's across the stage. His hazel gaze locked with hers. "Well, I am," she professed without looking at Quinn. Noah smiled and winked at her. "You're not the only star in Noah's sky anymore, and I suggest you get used to it. I'm not going anywhere."

Noah came over with his backpack over his shoulder. "Ready to go Q?"

"Sure," she grinned up at her partner. "Lead the way."

"I'll call you later," he said to Rachel, kissing the side of her head chastely before throwing his arm around Quinn's shoulder. "Have fun with everyone."

"Yes, enjoy your evening," Quinn agreed as they started toward the exit. "Oh and Rachel? Neither am I."


	5. Développé

**_Développé_**  
_Time developed; developing movement._

"Twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two..."

Rachel finished her final fouette and tucked herself into a neat landing. Noah smiled at her proudly as he clapped softly, pacing across the stage to meet her halfway. "That looked perfect," he praised her before sliding his arms around her slim hips. Rachel knew that she should probably push him away since she was so sweaty, but she relished his attention. "You are going to knock Will dead tomorrow at rehearsal."

"It's the last time he's going to see me dance before he makes his final selection," she worried aloud. She had been putting in extra studio hours every night that week, sometimes with Blaine and other times alone. "Do you want to go through the pas de deux with me?"

Noah grinned at her as he nodded. He stretched one arm across his chest and then swung them freely behind her. He had missed dancing with her ever since Will had decided that they would only be rehearsing with their partners. It was typical company protocol, but he had never been that stringent about enforcing in before. Noah knew that Quinn was likely behind the sudden lockdown, but he didn't want to make a big deal out of it. He couldn't really afford to have either of his leading ladies angry with him right now, so he was content to just pretend that this was how things always were to keep the waters calm.

"From the pas de bourees?"

He nodded in her direction before stepping behind her. Rachel started the series of precise turns, allowing Noah to sweep in and out rhythmically in unison. Their movements were fluid and perfectly in sync. He caught her by the waist in the last turn, lifting her easily from the waist. Her body always felt different than Quinn's, and it was a sign of a seasoned professional that he could adjust so quickly between their different styles.

Several minutes later, Noah punctuated their finishing pose by pulling her quickly into his body and kissing her soundly. She giggled against his mouth as he pulled back. He pressed his forehead against hers and looked down into her dark eyes. "I love dancing with you," he murmured softly. He reached up to tuck the strand of hair that had escaped from her tightly braided bun behind her ear. "It always feels so easy, so fun. It hasn't been like that for me for a really long time. I kind of forgot what it was like to do ballet when I wasn't concentrated on working so damn hard."

"You always look so effortless out there," she retorted, sounding like she was almost in awe. "If I didn't see you in the studio for all those hours, I wouldn't know that you had to work at it at all. It's amazing; I've never seen anything like it."

Noah had been around the New York City Ballet, so he knew that he wasn't the only one who could make it look so simple. However, he had also been around long enough to know that he was the kind of male dancer that came along once in a generation. That was why he worked as hard as he did. He had messed up a lot when he was a kid, and ballet had given him a second chance. He never wanted to take his talent for granted. Dance had saved his life, and he owed everything to it.

"It's important to work hard," he professed. "That's why Q and I put in the long hours we do. People look to us to set an example. San, Finn, Will, Mike, the other dancers - so many people are counting on us to do well. We're the star attractions, what fills the seats. We know that we could be replaced easily, but we have something here. It's worth the hours and the pain and everything else we have to put up with as long as we get to have this." He gestured around him and then out to the empty rows of seats. "As long as we have ballet."

Quinn. There was that name again. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me a lot of questions."

She smiled at him prettily, ducking her head a little in that way that girls did when they wanted to feign shyness. "Why is it Quinn?"

Noah laughed. "I've asked myself that a million times. I have danced with a lot of girls over the years, but something shifted the very first time I partnered with Quinn," he admitted. He could remember it like it was yesterday. "We were both young when we came here. Q was barely fifteen, and I had just turned sixteen. Everyone else was a lot older than us, so it kind of felt like we only had each other."

"And so you started dating?"

"No, not right away," he shook his head. "Honestly, we were just friend for the first two years we danced together. I think we both knew we had to build a strong foundation because Will was determined to partner us. Neither of us wanted to risk our place here by being in a relationship. I think we knew even back then that it wouldn't work out. We always worked better as partners than lovers."

Rachel couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the mention of lovers. "I don't get what you saw in her...what you see in her."

"Rach, Q has been through a lot. I know that she comes off cold. I'll be the first one to admit that she can be a real bitch. But that part of her that can disconnect is what makes her a good dancer. She can shut out everything else when she hits the stage and do her job. That's part of being a professional, you know? You have to be able to leave everything else but the art out of it. And as much as I know that it kills you, Quinn is an artist. She's just a very different kind than you."

"I still don't get it."

"You don't have to," he smiled. "Quinn is my partner just like Finn is my best friend. It's just a fact, another little that comes with being me. Don't think that I don't see the digs she takes or that she is trying to mastermind some plan. I see it all plainly, just like I see that you are starting to fight back. Good for you, you should. Don't let her take something from you that you deserve. Just don't think that I am something that you have to fight over. All the inside stuff, my heart, that's already yours."

Rachel carried that with her the next day to rehearsal. Will, Santana and Mike were set up at the director's table a few rows back. Artie was on his walkie, shouting commands to his tech team while Rachel and Quinn warmed up sidestage. Rachel considered only briefly putting a thumb tack in the bottom of Quinn's toe shoe before she focused on her own stretching routine. Like always, Quinn seemed perfectly happy to ignore her.

"Hey, babe," Noah greeted her lowly when he strode in with Blaine a few minutes earlier.

She admired the relationship the two lead males had. There wasn't any real competition between them. Blaine was happy to understudy this time. Noah had promised to give him a few performances while his parents and Kurt's dad were in town. He knew that Noah was truly the better dancer for the part and was content to wait his turn at the role another year.

"I'm nervous, Noah," she said softly. Rachel bounced up and down on her heels a few times before starting a set of tiny jumps. "This is my last chance."

"It's not your last chance, Rach," he said. "Treat it like any rehearsal. If you dance Clara, great, but if not, there are going to be other opportunities. We'll still get to get to dance together in the original piece. You're going to psych yourself out."

Rachel tried to force a brave smile. "Thanks for that," she murmured. He nodded and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Noah, you ready?"

He glanced over his shoulder at Quinn and nodded. "Merde, Rach."

She wanted to scowl at him but knew it wasn't fair. Like he had said the night before, she didn't have to understand his allegiance to Quinn. "Merde, Noah."

Blaine and Rachel stayed tucked behind the curtains as Quinn and Noah took the stage. The two of them were laughing easily as if this didn't mean anything. Will asked if they were ready and then the musical and light cues brought them to life. "They're really good together," Blaine muttered beneath his breath, causing Rachel to wince. He glanced at her. "I'm sorry but they are magic. You guys are great together too, but it's just a different kind of chemistry."

Rachel chose not to think about that when she took the stage with Blaine. He was her partner and a good one at that. She might not feel the way she felt when she danced with Noah, but she trusted Blaine to carry her through the piece. It was only as they moved into the fish dive that she got what Noah meant. She had the beginnings of that kind of trust with Blaine. The chemistry was different than what she had with Noah but that was because she loved him...she was in love with Noah Puckerman.

After both couples had finished their audition pieces, Will brought them out to sit on the edge of the stage. The others were dismissed, leaving him alone with his lead dancers, choreographer and assistant director.

"You guys, that was a very valiant effort on everyone's part. You should really be proud of yourselves. It's been a long time since I have questioned any of my casting choices, but the talent you four displayed today reminded me of just how lucky we are to have such massive talent at the Company," he told them while Mike and Santana nodded in agreement. "Blaine, you are a wonderful leading man, and I have no doubt that you are going to work your way up to principal quickly. However, for this particular piece, I just don't feel like you have the maturity that this particular choreography demands for the entire duration. You're getting there, and I think you will do splendidly in the performance dates Noah will not be dancing."

"Thank you, sir," Blaine said before turning to shake Noah's hand. "The better choice won."

Noah shook his head. "Not better, man, just more seasoned. Like Will said, you'll get there."

"Now, for you girls, I honestly cannot say enough how difficult this choice was. You both bring something completely different to the table, and your dances with Noah contrast greatly," Will explained. "With that said, we're going to go with Quinn this year. You will continue to understudy, and we want you to dance the same select dates that we've slotted in for Blaine. We're also going to add a third date when your fathers come to visit."

Rachel ignored Quinn's blinding smile and the disappointment churning in her stomach. Instead, she embraced the grace her fathers had instilled in her and smiled gratefully up at Will. "Thank you, William," she said genuinely. "I appreciate the kindness you have illustrated in even letting me audition for the part. I am so thankful for the opportunities you have given me, and I look forward to showing you what I can do moving forward." She turned to Quinn and hugged the blonde lightly. "Congratulations, Quinn, I have no doubt that you and Noah will dance beautifully."

Quinn started to reply when Noah caught her eye. He was smiling at her so happily that she pushed down the naturally snark reply in favor of something a little gentler. "Thank you, Rachel," she retorted kindly. "I have to admit that I was taken aback by the competition you gave me. It's not easy for me to say it, but you are an excellent dancer with a bright future. I know that I haven't been the greatest to you, but I hope that we can put this behind us now that this matter is over."

Not believing everything she was saying but willing to at least try to play nice for the moment, Rachel graciously accepted the compliments Quinn had given her and replied with a couple of her own. None of them had much time to bask in the moment, though, because Santana was soon handing out the schedule for final dress rehearsals next week. She would do her final run-through with Blaine early on Wednesday, while Quinn and Noah were slated to finish on Thursday afternoon. Opening night was Friday.

Noah walked Rachel with Rachel to the subway after they were finished with their meeting, their entwined hands swinging between them in the brisk air. "Thank you for being so great with Q earlier," he said. "I know you can't trust it yet, but she really is going to try."

"You're right, I don't believe it, but I am willing to play nice as long as she does."

"Good," he chuckled. He stopped beneath a streetlamp and pulled her to him. Rachel could hear him humming part of the Nutcracker Suite as he twirled her out from his body and then quickly into his grasp again. She threw her head back and laughed when he lifted her up. Her legs went into arabesque automatically, her arms arcing high and gracefully above her head despite the puffy sleeves of her down jacket. Noah lowered her slowly to the ground, her back grazing over his front until she was back on solid ground. He turned her around in his arms again and stared down at her seriously. "I want to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything, Noah," she promised. "You can tell me everything."

"Can I tell you that I love you?"

"Oh, Noah," she exhaled happily. "Yes, please! Yes."

He framed her beautiful face with his gloved hands, her cheeks red from the cold. "I love you, Rachel," he whispered. "I am in love with you."

"I'm in love with you too," she returned. "I love you."

It was then that she got something else he had been trying to tell her yesterday. He didn't have to choose between them because he had already made his choice. He had chosen her.


	6. Royale

**_Royale_**  
_A changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position._

Rachel didn't know a lot about Quinn's past, but she knew that she had caught the girl throwing up twice in the past few days. If she had only bothered inquire a little further, she would have learned that she had gotten bad sushi while out with a few donors, and it had taken her sensitive stomach a few days longer than normal to recover.

Instead, when Quinn came in late one day to the morning dress rehearsal on Tuesday to find Noah leading Rachel through a partnered sotais, the blonde just went off and Rachel reacted.

"Can it, Fabray," Rachel snapped finally. She tried to ignore the other dancer as she jumped into first position and then into fifth, her body tight as it landed in second position. The room went silent as the quiet, steady pace of a metronome ticked down the hallway.

"So sensitive."

Everyone stopped and looked between the two of them with interest. It was only a few days ago that Noah had professed his love for Rachel, but the reprieve of not being thrown in the middle had been brief.

"I am so sick of your act," Rachel said. A few people thought it was time that she finally stick up for herself and were nodding along. "You march around here acting like the perfect little ballet robot, but we both know you're not perfect, don't we, Quinn? I heard you yesterday you know."

"Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I know everything," Rachel said. "Everyone knows, Quinn, it's the worst kept secret in all of New York. I might be all the things you think I am, but you're nothing more than an anorexic bitch."

"I'm sorry," Quinn squeaked out before turning on her toe shoe and dashing out of the auditorium.

Noah held Rachel's gaze for a long, harsh moment before following after his partner. The words had just flown out of her mouth without her really knowing what she was saying. She wasn't in her right mind; it hadn't been of her own volition. In short, Rachel knew that she had messed up.

Santana stopped next to the petite brunette and watched as Noah ran after Quinn. "Rachel, I think it would be best if you take a break," she said quietly. The stoic Latina was quiet and serious. "Look, I know that Quinn deserves it a lot of the time, but you crossed a line. You don't know what you're talking about there, and you can't throw those kinds of accusations around. Neither Will nor the Company will take kindly to it."

"I know, I'm sorry," she professed automatically, reaching up to pat down her bun anxiously. "I'll go find her and apologize."

Rachel looked down the hallway toward the lobby and cafeteria before heading in the opposite direction to the dressing rooms. She started to go toward Quinn's private quarters when she noticed Noah's door was slightly ajar. Rachel felt guilty as she paused outside the room, hoping to gauge both Quinn and Noah's moods before entering inside.

"I can't believe you told her."

"I didn't, Q, I swear. You know I'd never do that to you," he said quietly. There was an intimacy there that Rachel didn't quite understand yet. "And you know that she didn't mean it just as much I know there wasn't a shred of truth to it. She's not Santana and this isn't four years ago."

"I'm not that girl anymore," she swore softly. Rachel could hear the literal ache in her voice. "But when she said those things, I swear, it felt just like it did that day. It'd be so easy, Noah, I could do it and no one would ever know."

"Hey, no," he said harshly. "Quinn, I'm serious, you can't talk like that." Rachel heard the rustle of him moving around the room. She crept closer and caught the reflection of the two of them looking intently at each other. "I care about her a lot, love her even, but I need to know if you're headed back down the rabbit hole. You know I'm not going to let you fall alone."

"Promise?"

"Always," he assured her. "Now you need to pull yourself together and go back on that stage to show them why you're the best ballerina in the world. Shut out the noise, your father and the fight with Rachel and the past, and just do this for you. You've never let any of this best you before, and I don't intend to let you start now."

Quinn walked out of the room beside Noah, her hand tucked firmly in his. She noticed Rachel before he did, and for the first time, the brunette knew that she was seeing the real Quinn look at her. "Quinn, I wanted to apologize."

"Rachel, not now," Noah said quietly. "We have to dance, and I just can't."

"You don't have to," she replied without looking at him. "I didn't come to apologize to you. I am here to tell Quinn how sorry I am. What I said was out of line, and worse, it wasn't even true."

"Rach…"

"No, Noah, it's okay," Quinn retorted, squeezing his hand. "Rachel, I accept your apology because the three of us have to be civil. It is clear that you matter to Noah, and he is my partner and friend. But you can't go throwing around these big accusations about eating disorders when you don't know what issues someone might be dealing with."

Rachel held her hands up. "You don't have to explain any further. I know that I was wrong."

"I was hospitalized two years ago because I stopped eating. Everyone thought I did it because I was a dancer, but it was never that simple. Sometimes I think I did it because I was a daughter who wanted her father's attention. Other times I think I did it because I made a very serious mistake that almost cost me everything, and I thought I deserved the punishment…" her voice trailed off. "I know I've been a bitch to you. I'm not innocent in all of this. But maybe after Noah tells you my story – our story – you'll understand a little bit better." She let go of his hand and met his hazel eyes. "Tell her the story, tell her all of it. She'll never the whole you without it."

"You sure?" he asked, peering down into her eyes.

"You love her," Quinn said simply. "I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."

Rachel was confused. "I don't understand what is going on."

"Let's sit down," he said, nodding toward his dressing room. She followed him inside and slipped onto the sofa as he took the overstuffed armchair opposite it. "Two years ago, back when Quinn and I were still dating, we had a scare. A pregnancy scare."

"Oh, Noah."

"Yeah, and it was really hard on Quinn. The Fabrays are a really religious family. Her father had always had these expectations for her, impossibly high standards of perfection," he tried to explain. "It's probably oversimplifying it really, but Quinn had always danced to have some kind of control over her life. With her father dictating everything else, she thought this was the one place where she could decide how to be. But when that happened, things kind of spiraled for awhile."

"She was so scared when she told me," he remembered, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "But we were excited, you know…and then, I don't know, it was just over. The doctor had told her it was okay to keep dancing, and we were partnering better than we ever had. But one day, something was just off and she fell. They said later that she probably would have lost her anyway, that it wasn't really the cause, but we both felt responsible."

"I tried to be there for her, but she just threw herself into dance. I could hardly stand to be at the studio," he told Rachel. "She got sick so fast, and then after a long weekend visiting her parents, she ended things with me. Things were so bad for her by then that I didn't care about the breakup; I just needed for her to get better."

Rachel remembered hearing about Quinn's brief sabbatical a few years ago. Now she knew the truth. "I went to see her when she was away. That's what we called it, you know," he laughed humorlessly. "We decided that we would have named her Beth. She was only here for a short time, not even long for us to know for certain that she was a girl, but we loved her, Rach. She was ours."

Sobs racked his body as she slid from the couch to her knees in front of him. He collapsed onto her slight frame, hiding his face in her dark hair. It was the last thing she had expected, but now, all of it suddenly made sense. Quinn had made herself out to be the villain because it was easier that way. No one knew the truth when you were an ice queen. You could hide the pain in the dance and keep all the demons at bay.

"That's what you meant when you said there were things I couldn't understand," she realized aloud. He nodded against her temple, still not quite strong enough to look at her. "I had no idea."

"No one does except Will and Santana," he replied. "We don't talk about it to anyone. I never would have told you unless she said it was okay. It's a fucked-up bond but it's ours. I haven't been in love with Quinn for a long time, but there are some things that don't just go away."

Rachel leaned up and kissed him then. "I wouldn't want it to," she decided, framing his face in her hands. "I'm glad you told me."

"Me too," he said tiredly. "I just don't want to do this anymore."

"You've carried her burdens for a long time; I think it's time that you let someone else carry some of yours."

"Rachel."

"I promise, Noah. I know it's a cliché, but things really can get better."

If anyone was strong enough to be there for him, he knew that it was Rachel Berry. More than that, he wanted it to be her and he told her as much. And then he took her hand and the two of them met up with Quinn. He watched the two girls exchange a long hug, but he knew that it wouldn't magically be fixed in a day. There would still be those tense moments where one or the other felt like she was being slighted, and he would be perpetually caught in the middle of trying to keep them both happy. But he would keep trying because he cared about both of them (though in different ways) and so would they because they loved him equally as much too.

And somehow, by the time opening night came, things actually were better.


	7. Tour de Force

**_Tour de Force_**  
_An arresting, vital step; a feat of technical skill._

It was the morning before the final dress rehearsal, the big performance where the donors would come to scrutinize over where their dollars had gone. Rachel had a ritual before a big performance – the same breakfast and routine she had perfected over years of dancing on stages big and small. She would always have two pieces of dry sourdough toast with a side of melon and a cup of hot tea before she went through her typical morning class. Lunch would be a salad with extra nuts for a much-needed protein boost that would get her through a final run-through and then a yoga cool down. She'd usually settle on just a fruit and veggie-blended juice before getting a solid eight hours of sleep. It never failed her.

But her whole performance Zen was thrown off this time because Quinn had asked to meet her for breakfast. She had wanted to say no, but Noah had been there when Quinn had cornered her in the studio. Rachel knew that it was important to him, so she pretended to happily agree to meet up with her in the small cafeteria that lived beneath the studio. There were only a few other dancers around, most of them flipping quickly through the _Times_ over black coffee and plain oatmeal. Quinn only had a fruit smoothie herself, and it was taking Rachel everything she had not to suggest a protein bar or a plate of eggs.

"Rachel, I just wanted to say thank you again for meeting me. I know things were pretty complicated the other day, and you don't really owe me any of your time," Quinn said kindly. It sounded genuine enough for Rachel to smile and nod her head encouragingly. "I know I have been a cold, distant bitch since you came to the Company. Even when I acted like I was trying, we both knew that I wasn't. And you don't have any reason to believe me now but I really hope that you will. I'm not just doing this for Noah either. I've never seen him this gone over anyone before, and if he feels like that, I have to know that you're something special."

Rachel blushed prettily at the mention of her boyfriend. "I really love him," she admitted. "And it's not as if I am blameless in all of this. It's really easy for people to see me as the victim because I'm younger and new, but I knew what I was doing too."

"You were just trying to take advantage of the opportunities afforded to you by your talent. I would have done exactly the same thing in your shoes given the chance, so I don't really blame you. I honestly think I'd respect you less if you hadn't," Quinn giggled. "Look, I don't really have a lot of friends here, definitely not too many people I trust. I know it'll take time but I would really like it if we could actually be friends."

"And how do I know that this isn't just another ruse?" Rachel asked. She ddn't want to be skeptical, but past history dictated that she needed to be careful. "When I get a part that you think you deserve or when Noah pays more attention to me or you just have a bad day – are we going to go through this every time? Because I know things have been hard for you, Quinn, I get it, but no one deserves the way things have been."

Quinn hugged the tall, frosted glass between her slender fingers. "I could promise you that I'll never mess up again, but I don't want to lie. The truth is that I probably will. I tend to act out when I'm afraid of getting hurt," she professed. "But I can promise that I will try really hard and that I'll always be sorry afterward. People don't change on a dime, but I hope you'll give me a chance even if I don't deserve it."

The truth was that Rachel had never really had a lot of friends before she came to New York. Since she had arrived at the Company, however, she had made truly great friends in Tina and Brittany. She had found Noah. Rachel was starting to build a family away from home, and she wouldn't be the person she was if she didn't give Quinn a second chance.

"I know there are a lot of people who don't understand the real you, Quinn, but I promise you that I am going to try really hard to be one of the few that does," Rachel pledged then and there. She knew that Quinn would probably mess up again; she herself was far from perfect. However, she would never know if she didn't try. People could second-guess Quinn's motives, but Rachel just trusted her in that moment. She could feel it in her bones. "It's going to take awhile, but I would really like it if we could be friends. I think we both have a lot to learn from each other – me about ballet and you about how to be a decent human being."

Rather than reply with a snarky comment as was the norm, Quinn only bowed her head gracefully. "Thank you, Rachel," she replied warmly.

Both girls quickly finished their breakfast before heading up to the auditorium. They were giggling about something when they spilled out onto the stage, Quinn stopping to do up the ribbons on her ankle while Rachel tied her hair back. Noah was already warming up with Blaine, but he stopped momentarily to admire them. They were his girls, probably the two most important people in his life, and it did everything for him to see them genuinely getting along without his interference or influence.

Rachel and Blaine went through it first. The soft piano music brought them in, soon followed by the full orchestra. It was the first time they were dancing it this way, with the costumes and all the instruments and the extensive lighting and scenery. William sat near the front, Mike and Santana posted on either side of the room toward the back. Artie was working sidestage, following his scarily technical notes with every cue.

"Alright, you two, that looked perfect. Rachel, I am going to go ahead and hold you on stage so that you can go through the pas de deux with Noah and the other girls," he instructed. "Blaine, I want you to be going through the same piece in the wings. Quinn, darling, make sure that you're staying warm. We'll get started as soon as this run-through is done."

Rachel quickly changed into the different costume and then filed out with the other girls for the large ensemble piece. Brittany and Tina both grinned at her as the music started, all nine of them en pointe in fifth position. Noah swept in moments later, meeting Rachel in the middle of the stage in a perfect chair lift. He held her on his shoulder for a half turn and then delicately brought her down his side and then around his back in a cradle move. Rachel brought one leg up in passé, toes perfectly pointed, and then reached down so that her fingertips glided over the floor.

A beautiful smile lit her face as he brought her back up. Rachel moved into second position as he grasped her right hand over her head. She spun slowly for two revolutions and then met his other hand so they could move into parallel arabesques. It was she that moved out of the position first, hooking her left arm through his right one so that he could roll her easily across his back. Noah slid her beneath him in a quick pivot and then brought her immediately back to her feet for a series of piques. She then transitioned out of the hold with a quick sauté de basque.

Rachel didn't feel a moment of it as she danced. She just existed within the sound of each beat, the rhythm of each move. It reminded her so much of that first day, but this time, rather than being nervous about the reaction when they finished, she held his hand and fluttered off stage as per their direction. He grasped her when they were finally out of view and the lights went dark.

"That was perfect!" Mike bellowed from the far corner of the auditorium.

"The best you two have ever danced it," Santana agreed despite the fact that no one could see them. "I don't have any notes, you nailed it."

"They're right," William agreed. "Rachel, darling, I want you and Blaine to rest. Quinn, Noah, we'll do a full run in a few."

Of course, neither Rachel nor Noah heard anything that was being said because they were too wrapped up in each other for anything else. "You are so beautiful," he mused as he brushed his nose against hers, his hands finding purchase on her hips. "I love dancing with you."

"I love everything with you," she returned, not at all shy about how corny it sounded. She leaned up to meet him for a kiss. Rachel couldn't help but smile against his mouth when he hummed happily. "Alright, alright, you better get out there."

"Stay and watch?" he asked, his voice betraying him slightly in just how much he wanted (perhaps even needed) her there. "I could use your notes after."

She smiled sweetly and nodded, following him over so she could watch from beside Artie. With one last grin, he made his way out to the stage. Rachel held her breath for a moment and then beamed when the spotlight flooded over his head.

He was perfect.


	8. Reverence

**_Reverence_**  
_A movement, generally made by the sweep of an arm to acknowledge the rest of the ensemble._

And so Quinn and Noah debuted the newest rendition of The Nutcracker, brought to the stage by Artistic Director William Schuester and Choreographer Michael Chang, to packed houses and critical accolades. Tickets were sold out for the entire run, even the select matinee shows Blaine and Rachel would be dancing. The reviews were all positive, even for the featured girls in the chorus, and Rachel was particularly excited to see that her pas de deux with Noah got a special shout out in both the _Voice_ and the _Times_. Quinn seemed a little less impressed by her own raves, perhaps somewhat jaded by the support of the New York press.

"Yes, William, I am pleased that they liked my dancing. Of course I am," she assured him three days after the debut when they were having a brief company meeting before the morning class. "But I am equally happy that they praised Noah and your direction and Mike's choreo. You've been after me for years to be a better team player. You should be ecstatic that I am choosing to share the spotlight with others for once."

William and Noah exchanged a confused look, but Rachel just wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder in support. "We're trying a teamwork thing now," Rachel explained, fluttering her free hand in front of her face dismissively. "Noah and Blaine, Quinn and me, we need all four of this to work. Will, I once heard you say that you believed in the fates of ballet. If you do, then you must realize it was destined that the four of us would dance this ballet."

"That's all a little too New Age for me," Will rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I don't need to understand it so as long as the four of you continue to dance the way that you have."

Noah walked with Quinn to lunch after, the two of them bent close together. There would have been a time not too long ago that she would have been undeniably jealous, but on this particular day she was too wrapped up in her own conversation with Blaine to notice. The four of them found a table, along with Brittany and Finn as well as Tina and Mike. Tina talked across the choreographer with Finn about some art exhibit the two were going to see at the Whitney on their day off Monday. Mike and Noah were making plans with Blaine to go to some arcade that was reopening on Coney Island for the holiday weekend. Quinn even asked Brittany to go shopping with her and Rachel completely unprovoked. It was weird how quickly it had all happened, but something about performance week had suddenly turned them all into a family.

Rachel went back to her apartment with Noah after the ballet that night. Tina was staying with Mike in the Village, and Brittany was probably over at Finn's or something. Noah and Rachel were quiet as they went about their nightly routine, moving around each other in that really comfortable way that only came with true intimacy. She handed over the toothpaste without a word, and he moved around her in the cramped bathroom to wrap up his toes. He pulled off his t-shirt and instantly handed it over so that she could change into it for sleep. They both met in the bedroom, him taking out his contacts while she pulled up her hair, and then fell onto her cramped little mattress to finally sleep.

"You were great with Quinn today," he said into the dark. She turned on her side toward in her side toward him, shifting her head from her pillow and onto his chest. Her hand pressed flat against his defined muscles so that she could feel the steady thrum of his heart. He turned his face so that his words got lost in her hair. "I really appreciate that you've both been making the effort."

"She's not so bad," Rachel allowed. There wasn't really much else to say, and it was still the truth. "Quinn's your people, and now that I've met your mother and your sister, I'm even more certain that I want to be part of your family. "

"I want that too," he confessed softly. "Besides, your fathers totally loved me."

It was true; they had. "They're not the only ones who love you," she smiled, pressing a kiss to his mouth. For a long time, she had dreamed of the perfect ballet husband, and though they weren't nearly ready for marriage, she didn't need the flawless dancer dream anymore. She just wanted to be with someone who made her laugh, who understood her passion, who still wanted to be there at the end of every day. Noah was that person for her, and each passing day only made her that much sure. "We should sleep, Will wants us at the studio early."

"Don't remind me," he grumbled good-naturedly before kissing the top of her head.

When she had first come to the city, Rachel Berry had had no idea what New York held for her, but she knew that it at least had a coveted position in the corps of the New York City Ballet. And now she had a lively apartment filled with most of her close friends in New York as roommates and a shared dressing room with a closetful of beautiful costumes. She had a featured role in "The Nutcracker" and was the understudy to the lead role. Now eighteen, she had fallen madly in love with the Nutcracker Prince, who wasn't really a prince but a perfectly beautiful man all on his own. She might not be the star of the ballet, but she was the star of his world. It was infinitely better than anything she had ever dreamed of when she was dancing back at the JCC in Ohio. It was better because it was real.

**_Fin._**


End file.
